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1
Common Air Pollutants and Their Sources
The presence in or introduction into the air of a substance which has harmful or
poisonous effects is known as Air Pollution. These sources can be classified into two
major categories which are
1: Anthropogenic sources
Anthropogenic effects, processes, objects, or materials are those that are derived from
human activities, as opposed to those occurring in natural environments without
human influences
i. Transportation sources:
This category includes most emissions produced from transportation
sources during the combustion process. The internal combustion
engines fueled by gasoline and diesel are the biggest sources in this
category. The other sources include trains, ships, lawnmowers, farm
tractors, planes, and construction machinery.
http://environment.alberta.ca/02237.html
Common Air Pollutants and Their Sources
2: Natural Sources
Windblown dust contributes to the concentration of fine particulate matter in the air.
Forest fires and wildfires release carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide, nitrogen oxides,
ammonia, and particulate matter. Any burning of vegetation (biomass) will release
these substances to the atmosphere, with amounts of each depending on the
biomass.
Volcanic activity releases large quantities of carbon dioxide, sulphur dioxide and
particulate matter into the atmosphere.
Vegetation and microbial activity affect air quality (biogenic emissions). Plants
produce a organic compounds (for growth and development) but (hydrogen
sulphide and volatile organic compounds including isoprene, toluene and beta-
pinene) can affect air quality. Soil microbial activity releases carbon dioxide,
methane and nitrogen oxides to the atmosphere.
Source
Carbon monoxide is released when engines burn fossil fuels. Emissions are
higher when engines are not tuned properly, and when fuel is not completely
burned. Cars emit a lot of the carbon monoxide found outdoors.
Furnaces and heaters in the home can emit high concentrations of carbon
monoxide, too, if they are not properly maintained.
As a consequence, emissions of carbon monoxide are primarily a function of
combustion conditions; inefficient combustion generally increases CO emissions.
Common Air Pollutants and Their Sources
Carbon mono oxide (CO)
Environmental and Health Effects
Their life spans in the atmosphere range from one to seven days for nitric
oxide and nitrogen dioxide.
Nitric oxide has no color, odour, or taste and is non-toxic. In the air it is
rapidly oxidized to nitrogen dioxide.
NOx and volatile organic compounds (VOCs) react in the presence of sunlight,
they form photochemical smog, a significant form of air pollution, especially in
the summer
Sources
Nitrogen dioxide mostly comes from power plants and cars. Nitrogen dioxide is
formed in two ways—when nitrogen in the fuel is burned, or when nitrogen in
the air reacts with oxygen at very high temperatures.
Nitrogen dioxide can also react in the atmosphere to form ozone, acid rain, and
particles.
Common Air Pollutants and Their Sources NOx
Environmental Effects
High levels of nitrogen dioxide exposure can give people coughs and can make
them feel short of breath. People who are exposed to nitrogen dioxide for a long
time have a higher chance of getting respiratory infections.
Nitrogen dioxide reacts in the atmosphere to form acid rain, which can harm
plants and animals.
Sulphur dioxide is a colourless gas with a bitter, irritating odour and taste. It is
highly soluble in water forming weakly acidic sulphuric acid. SO2 is a very
corrosive gas that cannot be seen or smelled.
When sulphur dioxide combines with the oxygen (O2) in the air some sulphur
trioxide is slowly formed. Sulphur trioxide rapidly combines with water to produce
sulphuric acid one of the major components of acid rain.
Energy related sulfur oxide emissions are generally proportional to the fraction of
sulfur in fuels such as coal and crude oil
Common Air Pollutants and Their Sources SOx
Sources
The main emission source of sulphur dioxide is the burning of fossil fuels.
Power stations, oil refineries and other large industrial plants contribute the
majority of the total mass released..
Motor vehicles and domestic boilers, as well as natural sources such as active
volcanoes and forest fires, release sulphur dioxide
High concentrations of sulfur dioxide (SO2) can result in breathing problems with
asthmatic children and adults who are active outdoors. Short-term exposure has
been linked to , chest infections and shortness of breath.
Common Air Pollutants and Their Sources SOx
Sulphur oxides combine with other substances in the air to produce a haze
that reduces visibility.
Sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxides are the major precursors of acid rain,
which has acidified soils, lakes and streams, accelerated corrosion of
buildings and monuments, and reduced visibility.
Some particles, such as dust, dirt, soot, or smoke, are large or dark enough to be seen
with the naked eye. Others are so small they can only be detected using an electron
microscope resulting from the burning of fuels by industry and diesel vehicles and from
earth-moving activities such as construction and mining.
Sources
Particulate matter can be divided into two types coarse particles and fine particles.
Fine" particles (less than 2.5 micrometers in diameter, known in the jargon of air
pollution as "PM 2.5") result from motor vehicles, coal-burning electric power
plants, factories as well as from residential fireplaces and wood stoves
Larger "coarse" particles come largely from windblown dust, vehicles traveling on
unpaved roads, and crushing and grinding operations.
In other cases, gases such as sulfur oxides and nitrogen oxides interact with other
compounds in the air to form fine particles. These tiny bits of soot can travel
hundreds of miles downwind of the original pollution sources.
Common Air Pollutants and Their Sources PM
Effects
o The size of PM particles largely determines the extent of environmental and
health damage caused.
o Both PM10 (big) and PM2.5 (small) particles can cause health problems;
specifically respiratory health (that's the lungs and airway). Because the PM2.5
travels deeper into the lungs AND because the PM2.5 is made up things that
are more toxic (like heavy metals and cancer causing organic compounds),
PM2.5 can have worse health effects than the bigger PM10
o Once inhaled, these particles can affect the heart and lungs and cause serious
health effects.
Ground level ozone is not emitted directly into the air, but is created by chemical
reactions between oxides of nitrogen (NOx) and volatile organic compounds (VOC) in
the presence of sunlight
Common Air Pollutants and Their Sources O3
Common Air Pollutants and Their Sources O3
Tropospheric ozone is formed most efficiently on hot, sunny days under stagnant
and humid air conditions. High humidity and high temperatures enhance the
formation of ozone
Many urban areas tend to have high levels of "bad" ozone, but other areas are also
subject to high ozone levels as winds carry NOx emissions and ozone hundreds of
miles away from their original sources
High winds tend to dilute ozone concentrations locally but they also transport
ozone to other locations, often causing high ozone concentrations in areas Low
wind speeds lead to the buildup of high local pollutant concentrations.
Strong ventilation with high wind speeds prevents the local build-up near the
sources, but contributes to long-range transport and regional ozone particularly
during directionally persistent wind conditions
When the sun goes down, there is no energy for ozone formation and fewer
ingredient gases - so ozone levels drop.
The highest ozone concentrations tend to occur in and around large urban areas that
generate the precursors necessary for ozone formation. However, rural areas can also
experience high ozone concentrations due to transport.
Common Air Pollutants and Their Sources O3
Ozone concentrations vary over different scales of time. In urban areas where ozone is
generated, ozone concentrations tend to peak in the middle of the day and dip to their
lowest concentrations during the middle of the night. This type of cycle is called diurnal
Common Air Pollutants and Their Sources O3
Common Air Pollutants and Their Sources O3
Sources
Ozone is not created directly, but is formed when NOx and volatile organic
compounds mix in sunlight. That is why ozone is mostly found in the summer.
Nitrogen oxides come from burning gasoline, coal, or other fossil fuels. There
are many types of volatile organic compounds, and they come from sources
ranging from factories to trees.
During the summer months high temperatures and bright sunshine lead to
increased ozone formation. Second, people may spend more time outside
engaged in physical activities.
Common Air Pollutants and Their Sources Lead
6: Lead. A blue-gray metal that is very toxic and is found in a number of forms and
locations. It is a pollutant of major concern due to both the amount of lead emitted and
to its effects on human health.
Lead is found in widely varying concentrations in solid and unrefined liquid fuels
such as coal and crude oil--as well as in the heavier refined oil products such as
residual oil and is emitted, often associated with particulate matter, when theses
fuels are burned.
The most important source of lead emissions from the energy sector, however, is
the lead that is used as an "anti-knock" additive in gasoline.
o Today, metal processing is the biggest source of atmospheric lead. Paints, smelters,
chemical and pesticide industries, petrochemicals are the largest sources
Outdoors, lead comes from cars in areas where unleaded gasoline is not used.
Lead can also come from power plants and other industrial sources.
The AQI focuses on health effects you may experience within a few hours or days
after breathing polluted air. Generally AQI is calculated for five major air
pollutants regulated
Ground-level ozone and airborne particles are the two pollutants that pose the
greatest threat to human health.
Different countries have their own air quality indices which are not all consistent.
Different countries also use different names for their indices such as Air Quality
Health Index, Air Pollution Index and Pollutant Standards Index
Air Quality Index (AQI)
Good" AQI is 0 - 50. Air quality is
considered satisfactory, and air pollution
poses little or no risk.
Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups" AQI is 101 - 150. Although general public is not likely to be
affected at this AQI range, people with lung disease, older adults and children are at a greater risk
from exposure to ozone, whereas persons with heart and lung disease, older adults and children
are at greater risk from the presence of particles in the air
o To convert an air pollutant concentration to an AQI, EPA has developed a calculator
o If multiple pollutants are measured at a monitoring site, then the largest or
"dominant" AQI value is reported for the location.
Air Quality Index (AQI)
"Unhealthy" AQI is 151 - 200. Everyone may begin to experience some adverse
health effects, and members of the sensitive groups may experience more
serious effects.
Very Unhealthy" AQI is 201 - 300. This would trigger a health alert signifying
that everyone may experience more serious health effects.
“Dangerous" AQI greater than 300. This would trigger a health warnings of
emergency conditions. The entire population is more likely to be affected.